Dancing In The Dark
by erraticmemory
Summary: In the midst of Ebony's election as city leader, Zanzibar opens its doors for business. Whilst Ebony sees it as her chance to manipulate a new tribe, The Techno's invade and change her plans for good.
1. Chapter 1

**Part 1**

The city had never quite been the same since the virus, but then again who was expecting it to be? The adults had gone and left only children – scavengers, looking for shelter and food, the basics for life. After two years the city had calmed down, it had fought off the rule of the Chosen and was now living under the leadership of the Mall Rats, most of the city dwellers were happy. Lives had settled into a kind of routine, most people now had homes and friends to care for. Zanzi was one such person.

Zanzi looked up at the sign above the door – Zanzibar. He still couldn't quite believe it, his own club. Well the ownership could have been debated, he didn't know who used to own the club, before the virus. However he'd been living here happily for some time with his friends, and then the idea came about, why not open up the club? Of course that idea came from Sphinx, she was always having hair brained schemes that never really worked out, but perhaps this one would.

Zanzi looked down the street, there were a few abandoned cars, burnt out buildings, nothing out of the ordinary for this new world. He looked at the woman stood at the building next to the club. She too was admiring a sign above a door – Deadly Nightshades - the new casino. Zanzi knew this person so her presence wasn't alarming. He watched her as she moved away one of her red braids from her face, she returned Zanzi's stare with a smile.

"Not long now," She laughed and joined her friend.

"I know, I just hope we got the message out to enough people."

Belladonna laughed, "I'd say we got it out to the entire city, you know what Vanity is like when she sets her mind to something."

"Shall we enter then?" Zanzi pushed open the door to the club.

"Please after you," Belladonna placed a hand on the door to hold it open and beckoned for Zanzi to enter.

Zanzibar was a reasonable size. It had all the basics – bar, dancefloor, dance podiums, usual club things. It even had a DIY hole in the wall joining into Deadly Nightshades, all curtosey of The Zanzi's. This place had become a home to the tribe now known as The Zanzi's. They all somehow stumbled into a nightclub and decided to make it their home, and then when Sphinx had the idea to run the club again the entire tribe set about decorating and revamping the club. Offices above the club were converted into bedrooms, the bar was cleaned up, walls were repainted, the casino machines were dusted and an electricity generator was set up, curtosey of Saskia's ability to take five fingered discounts. The club was ready, it had the staff and the looks, all it needed was the customers.

Belladonna headed towards the bar where the rest of the tribe were gathered, Zanzi took one last look around the club and then joined them.

"Opening night tonight." Vanity Blaze looked at Zanzi as he sat down and spoke, "That means we have a lot of work to do, Vanity."

Vanity stood up, taking charge of the group, taking charge was something she did best, but she didn't have the leadership skills Zanzi did so she was given the position of personnel manager, "Ok bar staff tonight are Glitter, Saskia, Zanzi and of course, me. Sphinx you'll be getting some funky tunes from your dj podium." Vanity paused, "Did I actually say funky tunes?" She shook her head and continued, "Diva, Belladonna you're in the casino, James and Max you're on the door, Visage, Vixen and Kat you're the waitresses." Vanity smiled and picked up a piece of paper from the bar, "Now if theres any confusion you can all refer to my wonderful duty roster, colour coded and with little hearts for the dots over the "i"'s." Vanity laughed as she pinned up the roster, "Zanzi?" Vanity sat back down handing leadership back over to the tribes leader.

"I don't think I can beat Vanity's wonderfully planned roster but all I do want to say is that this has been a long time coming, we've worked for 2 years nearly trying to get this place up and running, we managed to hide away from the loco's and the chosen and now we can make a real go of this place, so lets make tonight a success." Zanzi smiled and then walked behind the bar. The rest of the group went their separate ways, most to the upstairs areas, getting ready for the nights opening.

"You think it will work?" Belladonna looked at Zanzi.

"Who knows."

"Glitter I told you not to touch my makeup!" Vixen fumed as she picked up discared lipsticks and eye shadows from her friends bed.

"Sorry Vix, but it's a big night tonight, I had to look the part." Glitter stepped out from behind the screen in the corner of the room, she was wearing a short black pvc mini skirt and a hawaiin print bikini top, all rounded off with black knee length pvc boots, and of course her trade mark of glittered cheeks.

"What the hell have you got on!" Vixen broke down in laughter at the sight of her friend.

"My outfit for tonight, Vanity said the girls mission is to dress to impress the boys!"

"Glit, the only person who would be impressed by that is a blind man."

Glitter sulked, "Well I don't see you doing any better Vixen! Whats that look called dressing gowns are us?"

"Actually, this is what this look is called." Vixen untied the knot that was holding the bath robe in place, she took it off revealing a black vest top that had a V on the center in diamonds. She was wearing a cut off demin mini skirt with a large belt displaying a V belt buckle, she too was wearing knee length boots but black leather ones that covered the red fishnet tights she had on under the mini skirt.

Glitter's jaw dropped, "Ok, maybe I will get changed then."

Vanity made one last adjust of her peroxide blonde hair in the mirror before she exited her room, Zanzi was leaving his opposite her. He was startled to see her.

"Vanity you look… wow!" Zanzi looked his friend up and down, she was wearing a purple corset with a flowing purple skirt, her peroxide hair was down in ringlets with purple streaks through and she had three purple lines on her right cheek.

"I know!" Vanity posed.

"No I mean it, you look amazing!"

"Just kiss me already," Vanity laughed. Zanzi obliged. Their lips locked for what seemed like an eternity, their kisses always did. As they parted Vanity looked her boyfriend up and down, "I can't say the same about you."

She dragged him into his bedroom and started throwing clothes at him, finding him an outfit, she eventually decided on jeans, a shirt and a black jumper, she spiked up his brown hair and admired her handy work.

Zanzi pulled on his boots and looked at Vanity, "I was thinking, we need some markings so people know who works here."

"Like what?"

"I don't know, maybe a Z?"

"Hmm." Vanity walked out of Zanzi's room and over into hers, she came back holding an eyeliner. She knelt down next to her boyfriend and drew a Z shape on his left cheek. She held up a mirror in front of him, "Like that?"

"Perfect, like you."

"Ok Zanzi now that we have these stupid markings on our faces can we open the doors?" Excitement had filled James, even after the embarrassment of having to have a Z on his cheek.

"Umm, places everyone!" Zanzi looked around as everyone scattered around the club, Belladonna and Diva darted towards the casino, Sphinx headed towards the DJ podium and most of the girls went towards the bar, Zanzi was stood alone in the middle of the club, the disco ball spun around casting light on the dance floor, Sphinx began playing music but Zanzi could still hear the sound of the crowd waiting to be let in from outside, "Max, James, let them in!"

A queue quickly formed outside, crowds of paying customers, each holding their supply of em's hoping to have a good night out, Zanzi headed towards the bar ready for serving drinks.

"All drinks free with admission!" Vanity yelled as customers headed towards the bar, for tonight of course there was no admission fee either, however Max and James were taking bribes at the door.

Casino slots were filled, tokens poured out of the machines, people danced, bottles were drunk, the club was a success.


	2. Chapter 2

**Part 2**

"Morning babe," Vanity planted a kiss on Zanzi's lips as his eyes opened.

Zanzi wrapped an arm round Vanity as she cuddled into him, he looked out of the window startled to see clear sunlight streaming through, "What time is it?"

Vanity picked up a watch off the dresser next to her, "11.30, wow I guess we all partied a little harder than we thought last night."

Zanzi looked over at the bed in the corner of the room where James was collapsed, "Some of us harder than others."

Vanity laughed, "Yeah, I was thinking, now that we're of course the leaders of this tribe, and clearly an official item, isn't it about time we sorted out a room for ourselves?"

Zanzi raised an eyebrow, it wasn't an altogether preposterous idea, its just him and James had become like brothers since they'd stumbled into the club together, the thought of leaving the room they'd shared for two years to live with his girlfriend frightened Zanzi, he was growing up, "And where do you suggest we find a room for us? You know how we're all fixed in this place."

Vanity lifted Zanzi's arm off her and sat up in the bed, "Zanz, are you stupid or something? You know that door opposite yours, the one I come out of all the time? Well who's in that room now?"

Zanzi shook his head, "Max?"

"Exactly, and just how long do you expect me to share a bedroom with my brother?"

Zanzi laughed, "So we ship him across here then?"

"Either that or its find another place for us to live."

"Woah, one step at a time."

Vixen scanned round the club as her and Kat descended the stairs from the living area down into the club, "What is that noise?"

"It sounds like a dying animal." Kat jumped up at the bar and looked on the other side for any signs of something that was making the strange noise.

"Ok I found it, its not a dying animal, just a dying DJ." Vixen stood and laughed at Sphinx who was collapsed on the decks in front of her snoring, still holding a record in her hands with her headphones on.

"Are you going to wake her or shall I?"

"How about I do?" The two girls jumped and turned round as Ebony and her guards stood in the doorway of the club.

"Ebony!" Vixen backed up to the DJ box shocked at the sight of the city leader.

"Oh whats the matter girls?" Ebony laughed and looked at her two guards, "You didn't think the hottest night club in town was out of range of the city leader did you?"

"No, I just thought this sector of the city was out of reach of your stench."

Vixen and Kat shot their heads round to the hole into the casino, Belladonna stood with her hands on her hips glaring at Ebony, "What's the matter Ebony? Shocked to see me here after you left me to the Demon Dogs?" Belladonna advanced towards her old friend, "Guess what, they don't like nightclubs."

Ebony controlled her shocked expression, "Belladonna, this is of course a pleasant surprise, finally found some people to listen to your sob stories?"

"Drop dead Ebony."

Zanzi walked down the stairs and joined the girls by the DJ podium, "Ebony? Can I help you?"

"Oh not really Zanzi, its just a friendly visit from your City Leader, we have some business to discuss, any ideas where we can do it?"

Zanzi looked at the two bodyguards stood with Ebony and then over at Belladonna, she shook her head at him, urging him not to get involved with Ebony, Zanzi copped his head towards the bar, "Over here."

"Well she's got a nerve showing her face round here after what she did to you, I don't know how you can stand for it!" Diva shook her head at the sight of Ebony sat chatting to Zanzi.

"Drop it Diva," Belladonna wiped over the slot machines, ignoring the events that were transpiring in the club.

"But look at her, she just walks in here thinking she can do what she wants!"

Belladonna pushed her hair behind her ears as she stood up, "You voted for her didn't you?" Diva bowed her head, "There you go, you gave her the right to do whatever she wants to do, and she certainly is."

"What's this about Ebony?" Zanzi started pouring a drink as Ebony took rest on one of the stools at the bar.

"It seems to me that you guys here forgot about a little thing called a liquor license, now me being a friendly City Leader I can of course forget about that, if you were to make it worth my while."

Zanzi laughed, "Liquor license? Going back to the old ways are we Ebony?"

"Lets just say some of the stuff is worth while, I could quite easily shut this place down right now, and take all your stock, but as it was only your first night open I'm prepared to let that slip."

"What do you want?"

"My own private booth here, all drinks for me and my party provided free of charge, and ten per cent of your takings from the lovely casino over there." Ebony shot a smile at Belladonna.

"I'm not sure Belladonna will be best pleased about that."

Ebony laughed, "Been telling you some of those sob stories has she? Why do you think the Locos left her to the Dogs?"

"She's a member of this tribe Ebony, that means we listen to what she has to say and treat her with respect, something you wouldn't know anything about."

"Then why doesn't she have one of those lovely little Z's on her cheek? Watch her, that's all I'm saying, after the trouble she caused between me and Zoot she should be happy I'm only taking ten per cent because believe me she owes me a lot, lot more."

"Ebony I'm not having personal grudges affect my club, that's not what we're about."

"It isn't personal Zanzi, its business. I tell you what, lets just stick to the private booth and the drinks for now and a fee of 10 ems per week."

"10 ems? How do you expect us to get any stock in?"

"That's for you to worry about Zanzi, but if you want to keep this lovely establishment in business those are the terms." Ebony stood up from the bar, "I'll be back tonight, I expect you'll have everything in order for me."

Ebony and her bodyguards exited the club, leaving Zanzi to think about what Ebony had just proposed.

Vanity sat down in front of the bar, "So what did she want?"

"To make a deal, 10 ems a week and a private booth with all expenses paid for her and her guests."

"Is she crazy?"

"Whatever she said Zanzi you can forget it, I don't want her sniffing around here every night!"

Zanzi shook his head, "Its not that simple Belladonna, she can close us down if we don't go along with her."

Sphinx looked at the others, "She threatened to close us down? What power has she got to do that!?"

Max rolled his eyes and knocked on Sphinx's head, "Earth to Sphinx, she's the City Leader, she can do whatever she likes."

"The point is we can't go up against her and the army she's building, for now we're going to have to go along with her," Zanzi looked around as the final few members of the tribe staggered over to the bar, "That means that from tonight on Ebony is our new VIP, whatever Ebony wants she gets, if she wants a drink its free, if she wants to gamble in the casino she will be giving as many chips as she likes and at the end of every week we pay her ten ems."

"I'm not rolling over and taking this Zanzi!" Belladonna stormed off towards the door.

"Oh, what are you going to do, huh? Be the big woman? Threaten her? Knock her about a bit? She'd have you killed before you got close to her Belladonna."

"Who said anything about going to see Ebony? She appointed that Lex guy sheriff didn't she, well I think its about time the law caught up with miss high and mighty." Belladonna slammed the metal door behind her, the sound echoed through the empty club.

"Vixen, Visage, get the VIP area ready for Ebony. Max, James we need some more crates bringing up from the cellar, same jobs as last night guys, Vanity you're on the counter taking entrance fees. We open at 8." Zanzi headed off upstairs leaving everyone else gathered at the bar.

"So we do what he says Van?"

"I don't think we have much choice Max."


	3. Chapter 3

**Part 3**

Two Mosquitoes flung Belladonna at Lex's feet, "Lookie what we found following you Sheriff."

Lex looked down at the girl at his feet, "Following me huh? Nice job girls." Lex flicked an em at the Mozzies and then helped Belladonna to her feet, "So you were following me?"

Belladonna looked the man in front of her up and down as she dusted herself off, "I take it your Lex."

Lex beckoned for her to start walking, "Well well, someone that doesn't know me, always a pleasant surprise, and you are?"

"Belladonna, I run Deadly Nightshades, the new nightclub."

"Yeah, I heard about that place, was gonna pay it a visit tonight, she what it was about. What can I do for you then? I thought you guys were above the law over there."

The two turned down an alley, "Well clearly we aren't out of reach of your boss, she's been sniffing around, demanding perks to keep us open, anything you can do about it?"

Lex stopped and faced Belladonna, he moved her towards the wall and ran his hand over her face, "That depends if you make it worth my while."

Belladonna slapped him across the face, "I may not have heard about you Lex but I heard about your wife, Tai-San, you pig."

"Hey, babe, if you want Ebony off your backs over there then I can help, just don't tell Tai-San about this."

"Deal." Belladonna smirked and turned back to face Lex, "She's coming by tonight, she's demanded a private booth and free drinks all the time or she'll close us down, just see what you can do."

"It would be my pleasure." Lex leant to the side to watch Belladonna as she walked away, "If only I wasn't married," He laughed and turned to walk back to the Mozzies who were waiting at the end of the alley, "Well girls its time to pay the boss a visit, we've got business."

"And where have you been?"

Belladonna rolled her eyes as the door slammed behind her. Ignoring Zanzi's shouts from the counter she headed towards the casino.

Zanzi grabbed her arm and pulled her round to face him, "Yo, Belladonna, where have you been?"

"To see the sheriff and let the law catch up with the City Leader."

"Oh and she's going to love that isn't she?"

Belladonna shook her head, "I'm not having her sniffing round here all the time Zanzi, its not what this place is about, she doesn't belong here."

"I know, and I don't want her here anymore than you do, but if word gets round Ebony's drinking here…"

"What?" Belladonna cut Zanzi off, "All the kids will stop coming here from fear of crossing her bad side? Face it, she's bad for business, she's going to drain this place and she won't have to close us down because we'll be doing it ourselves!"

"Lets just see how tonight goes before we start involving outside parties, huh? And talk to me Belladonna, you're living here as if you're an outcast. You don't class yourself as part of the tribe, you don't let anyone in, what's going on with you?"

"Maybe I just don't want to be here, did you ever think of that?"

Zanzi grabbed both of Belladonna's arms, "I can't believe that, ever since I met you in here we've been talking about opening the two places up together, starting a business here, making a new life for ourselves here and ever since it happened you've been hiding away. What's going on?"

Belladonna put her head down.

"This isn't going to go away, either you let someone in or you're out of here Belladonna, and I'm not saying that in a nasty way because I don't want to have to do that, everyone's scared of upsetting you, no-one dares set foot over the casino line for fear of you biting their heads off and god forbid anyone goes near your room. We're a tribe here, a family, maybe you might want to let some of us in? Heck you told Ebony stuff you haven't even told us!"

"And look what happened there Zanzi! You ever wonder why I don't let any of you guys in? Look what happened when I trusted Ebony, she tried to have me killed, she was convinced I was trying to steal Zoot because he showed an interest in me and now you're all letting her come sniffing round here. You wonder why I won't let any of you in? I don't know who I can trust here." Belladonna turned and stormed off towards the upstairs of the casino.

Zanzi sighed and headed towards the bar where Max and James were setting up the drinks for tonight.

Max turned his head as he was fastening one of the bottles to the shot dispenser, Zanzi slumped on a stool at the bar, "Take it she didn't like what you had to say?"

"She's living here as an outcast, its as if its two places, not one, heck she even wanted her casino to have another name, I wouldn't be surprised if she's starting her own tribe back there, I mean none of us are allowed in the upstairs of the casino are we?"

James shrugged, "I wouldn't worry about it man," He picked up a glass and poured Zanzi a drink, "She's always been private, that's just the way she is, I mean you more than anyone else should know that, you two have been here since the start."

Zanzi winced as he downed whatever concoction James had poured him, "Its just, ever since we got this place sorted, she's been funny, and then last night she was nowhere to be seen the entire night."

James turned and looked at Max, Max shook his head.

Zanzi looked at the two of them, "What?"

"Don't James, she obviously doesn't want anyone to know."

James shook his head, I think he should know Max," James reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper from his pocket, he slid it across the bar to Zanzi, "We found that when we were moving crates in the cellar."

Zanzi picked up the piece of paper and unfolded it, it was a newspaper article, from the date he saw it was three years before the virus eradicated the old ways. He studied the headline: "Local Casino Owners Arrested In Drugs Raid." He studied the picture, it was taken outside the casino and showed a man and a woman being lead into a police car handcuffed. "What's this?"

"Read on and see." James and Max moved closer to the bar as Zanzi began to read more of the article aloud.

"Mr and Mrs Nightshade, parents to Belladonna, 16, were arrested during a raid on the family casino: Deadly Nightshades. The police ceased large quantities of drugs and arrested Mr and Mrs Nightshade who were said to be leading the drugs sales. The Nightshades face trial later this month and if found guilty face up to seven years jail time." Zanzi placed the paper down on the bar, Max and James were stood staring straight behind him, he turned round to see Belladonna stood there.

"Happy now?" Belladonna moved towards the bar and picked up the article, "Next time you wonder why I'm the way I am just remember, you guys got to say bye to your parents when the virus hit, I never got that luxury."

"They were peddling drugs?"

Belladonna shook her head at Max's question, "They were involved with a local drugs dealer, he'd threatened to have the casino closed down unless they gave him a place to deal, they had no choice. The casino was our lively hood, if they lost that we'd have been out on the streets."

Zanzi shook his head in disbelief, "Why didn't you tell us?"

"And be accused of telling sob stories? No, I wasn't going to do that again. After Ebony left me to the Demon Dogs I went running and I stumbled across the casino again, and I thought, maybe, I don't know. I guess I was half expecting to find them here, and then I heard you rumbling around in here and you just assumed I'd stumbled in like you."

"Belladonna… I…" Zanzi stammered, "I had no idea."

"How would you? I didn't tell anyone."

Vanity planted a kiss on Zanzi's cheek as silence filled the club, "Something wrong?" Heads bowed as Vanity looked round, "Zanzi?"

Zanzi placed an arm round Vanity's waist and returned her kiss, "No babe. You think you could get the girls together? We've got a lot to discuss for tonight." Belladonna turned and headed off towards the upstairs of the casino, Zanzi jumped off the stool and headed after her, "You know what Van, hold that for now, I'll be back in a sec."

Belladonna headed up the stairs to the door at the top, "You can't run away from this you know Belladonna." She stopped outside her door and turned round, "Its not about running away Zanzi, its about being where I feel safe, and that's up here, in my old home."

"You used to live up there?"

Belladonna laughed, "What did you think was above the casino?"

Zanzi shrugged, "Well I had hoped a few extra rooms, you know what the squash above the club's like, any chance a couple of us could come over there?"

"Baby steps for now, huh Zanzi?"

"Whether you like it or not Belladonna, you're part of this tribe, we care about you, its time you believed that."


	4. Chapter 4

**Part 4**

The till rang as Vanity took an em for entrance into Zanzibar. An em entry and a free drink, two drinks for an em, the usual promotion they'd been running for the past week, so far it seemed a success. Club life had become a routine for the tribe now. Every night 8 – 3 they were there, ready to serve. Max and James had become accustomed to their place on the door, acting as bouncers, keeping out the undesirable scum from the lesser sectors of the city, as Sphinx liked to call it. Sphinx proved to be a real crowd pleaser, five days a week she entertained the massive crowds that Zanzibar was pulling in, in spite of the company the club was keeping. Diva and Belladonna made light work of the casino every night, while Saskia, Glitter and Visage were always eager to please at the bar. Vixen mingled with the crowds clearing up empty bottles, collecting in glasses, while Kat had been designated personal slave to Ebony, "Whatever the City Leader wants, the City Leader gets." She repeated Zanzi's words to herself every night as she suffered at the beckon call of the arch-mistress of hell herself. For now, Belladonna was playing along with the front the tribe were showing to Ebony and Ebony was pleased with the past two weeks she'd spent ruling over Zanzibar. Zanzi of course had some idea of how to keep Ebony off their backs, or so he told the tribe. In reality he had no idea, he was just hoping the inspiration would hit him one day. Until then he had to endure Ebony and Moz scaring away customers.

"You know the problem with you Zanzi's? You don't know how to have any fun!" Moz flung Kat across the dancefloor.

Zanzi rushed to Kat's side and helped her to her feet, "That's enough Moz."

"Oh is it?" Moz squared up to Zanzi but backed off as Max and James joined him.

"Now now Moz, we wouldn't want to damage our nice little earner here would we?" Ebony laughed as she shook her weekly takings from Zanzibar.

Moz turned and smiled at Ebony and then laughed at Zanzi, "No, we wouldn't, would we?"

Zanzi walked past Moz and over to Ebony, "Control her Ebony, or your little deals off, I don't care what you do to this place."

Ebony laughed again, "Just chill Zanzi, Moz was only messing."

Zanzi grabbed Ebony by the shoulders, "For two years we've avoiding the locos and fought off the chosen occupation, I'm dammed sure I'm not going to let you ruin this place!" Ebony's guards grabbed Zanzi by the arms and pulled him back, he shrugged them off and stormed over to Belladonna.

"I told you she was trouble."

"Yeah, you also told me Lex was going to sort it." Zanzi re-adjusted his shirt, "Didn't happen did it?"

"He told me he'd had a word with her, I guess not."

Zanzi shook his head, "No, there's just something about this whole situation that doesn't seem right."

Belladonna raised an eyebrow, "You think?"

"Why would Ebony want to come here, I mean it doesn't make sense, she's the City Leader, she can do whatever she likes and never be questioned, yet shes showing her face around here every night, meeting different tribe leaders each night with Moz, and who's the missing link in all this? The Mall Rats."

"She's plotting against her own tribe? Oh come on Zanzi, I don't even think Ebony's that twisted."

"She threw you out the Loco's didn't she?" Zanzi paused for effect, "And look at her cheek, whats missing? The Mall Rats symbol? Heck she isn't even living in the mall anymore, and I for one refuse to believe that even Bray would go along with anything Moz has to say, look at all the trouble she caused when he wouldn't give us the Guardian."

Belladonna turned to look at Ebony and then looked back to Zanzi, "You think?"

"All I know is there's two tribes that Ebony's yet to speak to, us and the Mall Rats."

"But she is a Mall Rat so why would she need to talk to Bray and Amber here?"

"If she is a Mall Rat why isn't she holding these meetings at the Mall?"

Belladonna looked down at the ground as one of Ebony's guards interrupted the conversation, "Zanzi, the City Leader has business to discuss, this way." The guard grabbed Zanzi's arm to lead him to Ebony, he shrugged him off.

"I can walk on my own thanks." Zanzi turned to look at Belladonna as he walked away, "Told you so."

Belladonna looked round the club, trying to find the rest of the tribe, the dance floor was packed with members of practically every tribe in the city, she saw Vanity sat by the bar taking her break, "Diva, watch the casino for me a second, I need to have a word with Vanity." Diva nodded and walked off to watch the slot machines. Belladonna slipped her way through the crowd, nodding to acknowledge regulars, smiling when she saw someone she recognised from the times before all this madness. She stopped behind Vanity and placed a hand on her shoulder, she turned her back as Vanity turned round.

"Belladonna?"

"Face the bar, I'll explain in a second." Belladonna looked round, scanning for Ebony's guards, they were all blocking the view into Ebony's booth, as they usually did, screening her dodgy dealings from the rest of the city, "Zanzi knows what Ebony's up to, we're closing early tonight, as soon as Ebony leaves make an announcement then gather the tribe, make sure no-one else knows."

Vanity nodded.

"You get that?"

Vanity nodded again.

Belladonna sighed, "Vanity answer me."

"Oh yeah, I forgot you were behind me, yeah I got that."

Belladonna headed back off through the crowd towards the casino.

"What's it about this time Ebony?"

Ebony smiled, "Oh Zanzi, drop the tough man exterior for once and sit down." Ebony pointed towards the empty stools at the other side of the table to where she was sat.

"So nice of you to offer in my club Ebony." Zanzi sat down at the table and prepared for what Ebony had to say.

"As you've probably noticed the tribe leaders have been coming here for personal meetings with me every night and you're the last leader for me to speak to."

Zanzi laughed to himself, "Me and Bray."

Ebony smiled at Moz who had taken up a position behind Zanzi, closing him into the space, and hopefully the deal. "Here's the thing Zanzi, as you know I've never really been with the Mall Rats, I mean sure I was with the, but not properly, I was just living there. Now, I have all these plans for the city, ones that the Mall Rats don't agree with, but its plans for the better. The other leaders have agreed that everything I've suggested its worth while, it's just with the Mall Rats going against what I'm suggesting it's going to make it really hard for me to make the city a better place to live in. You see, I agreed to take over the Mall Rats candidacy for City Leader when it was obvious Bray wasn't going to win, but he expects me to be a puppet for him, and the city elected me, not Bray, I can't listen to him, but I don't have the heart to tell him otherwise. How can I disappoint the city by letting Bray rule? I mean, he stepped down because he wouldn't deliver on the Guardian, why would the city want his ideas ruling?"

Zanzi shook his head, the information Ebony had just presented him with didn't seem like an altogether unbelievable event. He himself couldn't wait to get his hands on the Guardian after he abducted one of his tribe members and he was there in the crowd the day Bray refused to give the Guardian to them. He understood the reasoning behind it, but justice needed serving, and because of Bray the Guardian got away, ready to cause more trouble. He too voted for Ebony to lead. "I'm listening Ebony."

"Bray and Amber have gone against everything I've suggested, the sheriff, money, the very thing you're bringing in here, they're against it all. But look at what's happened so far. Kids are eating again, people are finding homes, violent attacks are down thanks to Lex, and Bray and Amber want me to take all this away, and Amber has the support of a lot of people in this city, they respect her, that's why I needed Moz on my side before the election, to win, to save the city from themselves. I've got all the major tribe leaders on my side, all I need is you. The kids out there respect you and your tribe, they respect this place, me showing my face here every night is gaining me respect with the kids, they're trusting me more, and Bray and Amber's position is being undermined. All I need to know from you is when the time comes are you going to be with me, or the Mall Rats."

Zanzi shook his head, "Amber doesn't want us to have all them things?" Zanzi weighed up the options in his head, "I'll go with whoever the other leaders go with, we've come too far now to have another war on our hands."

Ebony smiled, "I thought as much, and as a gesture of our good will, here's a little gift." Ebony nodded at Moz.

"Don't say we never give you nothing." Moz handed Zanzi a white bag, he opened it and found it full of em's.

"What's this?"

"A small payment to secure your place within my team. All the money I've taken from you so far, plus a little extra. You're profits are your own, that is as long as Belladonna's with you on this one." Ebony stood up and pulled her jacket on, her and Moz readied themselves to leave, "Oh and you're free to run this place how you like from now on, next time I come I'll be a paying customer." The guards parted as Ebony exited the VIP area and then left the club.

"What's this all about then Zanzi?" James picked up the bags of ems that had come from the tills, "We've lost half a nights profit here!"

"I know you guys are annoyed but this was more important than this place, well it goes beyond this place, its about the entire city."

Kat looked confused, "Is this what Ebony's been saying?"

"Bray's trying to make her do what he wants for the city, he rigged the election so that Ebony would take his place and he'd use her to put his plans with Amber into action and he wants to take away the money and the Sheriff!"

Sphinx screwed up her face at the idea, "What? Bray would never do that!"

Zanzi shook his head, "Whether we want to believe it or not he is doing it, and him and Amber will drag the city under with them. The other tribes are on Ebony's side, what I want to know is are you guys on Ebony's side or Bray's, think of what Ebony's done so far, and what's Bray done? Held the Guardian from us."

Belladonna laughed, "Think of what Ebony's done, huh Zanzi? Think about all the lives she's ruined, all the people she's manipulated, she's playing you for the fool you are! You trust her? You trust a Loco? After what she did to me? To the club?"

Zanzi flung the bag of ems on the bar.

"What's this?" Saskia picked the bag up and opened it.

"Everything she took, and ten per cent more, to prove what she's saying." Zanzi looked at Belladonna who was stood shaking her head.

"Then why take it in the first place, huh Zanzi?"

"To keep the club hers Belladonna, or at least a place to conduct business with the other tribes. This place is popular, she needed the popularity to get people on her side, and she's got it. Providing you trust her too Belladonna she's leaving our takings alone, if not she's taking ten per cent of our profits."

"And you think that can be trusted?" Belladonna shook her head, "You make me sick!" She turned and stormed off to the casino leaving silence amongst the tribe.

Vixen looked round and picked up some of the money off the bar, "I go with Ebony."

Visage joined her sister, "Me too."

Slowly everyone in the group agreed.

Zanzi smiled, "I'll let Ebony know there's consensus, looks like we're taking on Bray and Amber."

Belladonna crouched down behind the wall dividing the club and casino, Ebony had really done it this time, she'd manipulated a city.


	5. Chapter 5

**Part 5**

"And where is she?" Vanity looked up to the balcony over the casino as Kat peered down.

"I don't know but have you seen how that silly cow's been living for the past two years while we've been living in squalor?"

"What?" Vanity began climbing the stairs up the balcony, Kat pushed open a door that no-one other than Belladonna had gone through before. They knew she was secretive and respected this, for the most part but what Vanity saw put everything into question. "That bitch!" Vanity looked around, it was a flat, Belladonna's home from before the virus. Vanity walked into four spacious bedrooms, all with real beds. There was a kitchen, fully stocked with food, a living room with sofa's, tables chairs. Compared to how the rest of the tribe had been living this was luxury. Vanity smiled to herself, "Looks like I've found mine and Zanzi's new home."

"Err you mean the tribes new home!" Kat protested.

"Like we'd all fit in here, please. As leader of the tribe Zanzi gets this place, and as girlfriend of the tribe leader, I get it to! I can't wait to go tell him."

Kat stopped outside one of the final doors they came to, she jiggled the handle but it was locked, "Where's this door go to?"

"No idea, lets get one of the guys to break it down." Vanity walked onto the balcony, "Yo, James, Max, Zanzi, one of you guys want to give us a hand up here?"

Max poked his head through the hole in the wall to the club, "You called sis?"

"Get up here!"

Max nodded and walked up the stairs, he walked into the flat and his jaw dropped, "What the!?" He looked around at the clean floors, surfaces, the food in the kitchen, the normality of the whole place, "She's been living here?"

"Less talk, break down this door brother dear, I want to see where it goes."

Max looked at his sister and then at the door, "Its obvious Van, it goes into the corridor between the bedrooms in the club."

"No it doesn't, or there'd be a door at the end of the corridor in the club you freak!" Vanity slapped James across the face, "Now open the door!"

James charged at the door and it gave in, swinging open into a corridor, "What did I tell you?" James looked smug as he recognised the view of the corridor above the club.

Vanity stepped through the door and looked at the wall where the door was. "A hidden door, well I didn't expect that."

Kat looked confused, "I thought these places were never owned by the same people, why would there be a door between them?"

"I guess there's more to this place than meets the eye." Max rubbed his arm where he'd charged at the door.

Heads poked out of the rooms down the corridor. Sphinx walked to join the others, "What the hell is this?" She poked her head into the kitchen and laughed, "Boy when Belladonna hides something, she certainly hides something doesn't she?"

Vanity charged off down the corridor.

Visage brushed her hair out of her face as Vanity' ran past her, "Vanity, where are you going?"

"Getting my stuff, me and Zanzi have first dibs on the master bedroom in that place!"

Glitter laughed as she picked up the camping stove from under the bar and shoved it in the cardboard box Saskia was holding.

"You know Sask, I used to hate this place, now I bloody well love it!"

Saskia laughed, "I know, we've got a real kitchen, sofas, space!"

Glitter shook her head, "Better than that, we've got a bath. You know what that means!"

Saskia looked puzzled, "There's a wasted room?"

"No you retard, we can get a bath!" Glitter shoved crockery that the tribe had been using in the box and jumped back over the bar.

"Erm aren't you forgetting, we have no running water?"

"I'm sure we can rig something up, there's a huge tank of rain water on the roof of this place, that must lead to the taps in here or something."

Saskia thought about for a second and then put the box on the bar, "Race you to our kitchen?"

"Vanity where are you taking me?"

"No where!" Vanity secured the blindfold over Zanzi's eyes and waved her hand in front of his eyes, checking he couldn't see. She took him by the hand and lead him down the corridor outside of his room, down to the door into Belladonna's flat that they'd discovered, "Now there's a step down here, watch yourself."

"Since when has any of this club had a step down upstairs?"

Vanity laughed, "You'll see." She stopped Zanzi outside a bedroom door and stepped behind him, "Ready?" She untied the blindfold and took it off his face.

Zanzi looked around at the place he was in, he could see a kitchen down the side from him, other doors surrounded him. One door had Belladonna written on it in gothic style writing, the others remained blank, "This is what Belladonna's been hiding?"

Vanity nodded, "Apparently so, Kat came up here to look for her earlier and found this place unlocked."

"Have you checked her bedroom? Has she taken anything?"

Vanity planted a kiss on Zanzi's lips to silence him, "She's not going to leave this place now is she? She's gone off in a huff and she'll have a shock when she comes back."

"Oh?" Zanzi pulled Vanity in for another kiss, "And what's what?" Vanity fumbled for the door handle behind her as the two kissed, they fell into the room as the door swung open.

"This." Vanity pulled away and presented the bedroom to Zanzi. There was a bed in the middle with a large black leather headboard, there was matching black and white stripey covers on the bed. All around was black furniture, offsetting the black walls. There were candles on all the surfaces, and at the end of the room were doors out onto a balcony, a balcony overlooking all of the city. There was another door in the corner of the room that was propped open, from what Zanzi could see it appeared to be an office.

"You did this?"

"Well, I can't take credit for all of it but most of it yeah. You wanted to live together, well here we are all moved in here!" Vanity hugged Zanzi as the two looked around the place, "I even sorted out the office back there for you, you can get to it from the balcony over the casino and through here, there's two desks in there of course, one for you and one for Belladonna, whenever she returns."

Zanzi looked down at the ground and then back up with a painted smile on his face, "Its great babe," he planted a kiss on her forehead, "Look, we'll enjoy it tonight, ok? I'm worried about Belladonna, no-ones seen her since she stormed off last night."

"Nothing struck us as being missing from her room, she hasn't even taken her coat, she'll be back."

"And you think she'll appreciate us doing this to her parents old room?"

"That's the old times Zanzi, she has to think about the future, and the future is her being with this tribe, do you know she's got a kitchen up here? A working gas cooker! Food, she's held back from the rest of us, she's got a bath up here with running water!"

"Running water?"

"It comes from the water tank on the roof, I suppose it will run out eventually but for now, baths Zanzi! A real bath, and space! Bedrooms!"

"Well I suppose it is handy having all this above the club, it means we can keep the downstairs for when we're open and aren't cooking round the bar, and hey, I'm all for not having the girls complaining to me every five seconds about having no space."

"Nice to see my old life means so much to you."

Zanzi turned his head round to see Belladonna stood in the doorway of the room.

"Want to destroy anything else Zanzi?"

"Belladonna…"

"No, save it Zanzi, I can't believe you's, what was it? Belladonna's gone out lets break into her room?"

Zanzi and Vanity looked at each other, "Us? What about you Belladonna!? You know how we've been fixed for two years here, eating off camping stoves, storing food at the bar, everyone living on top of each other, not even having office space, and look what you've got up here! A flat, with a door into the club and you never even let us in here? Why even live with the tribe if you were holding out on us?"

"It doesn't matter now does it!" Belladonna stormed out of the room and into her bedroom next door, she slammed the door causing the pictures Vanity had hung on the wall to fall.

"I told you she wouldn't like it Van."

"Well right now Zanzi no-ones liking her, we've got too much going on with this Ebony thing to worry about Belladonna and her issues about not being part of us, have a word with her or everyone wants her out." Vanity turned and walked out of the room leaving Zanzi to contemplate what had just happened. He sighed and walked out to knock on Belladonna's door. He clenched a fist and went to knock on her door. As he did so it opened, clothes were strewn across the bed. He sat down and sighed, realising she'd gone.

"I'll help you get them up in a minute Max, I'm just gonna see where Zanzi's gotten to!" James headed up the stairs in the casino, as his head was turned shouting back to Max Belladonna ran into him, "Woah, where are you off in such a hury?"

Belladonna wiped the tears away from her eyes, "Away, I don't know where, its obvious no-one here cares about me."

"What makes you say that?"

"What you've all done to my home!"

"You're not going anywhere Belladonna, everyone here cares about you, you're just being too secretive all the time, no-one knows what's happening with you ever, we daren't say anything from fear of making you do this."

"Well it doesn't matter now does it? You can all have a nice tribe without me."

James grabbed Belladonna's arm as she brushed past him, she turned round and their eyes met in a gaze that seemed to last forever. In that moment James realised everything he'd been looking for since the virus had been right under his nose, someone to care for. He smiled at Belladonna and wrapped his arm round her, she dropped her bag and ran her hand through his long brown hair, pushing it back from his face, their heads moved closer until their lips locked, "Is that enough of a reason?"


	6. Chapter 6

Part 1

**Part 6**

Morning broke on the club and all was quiet after what had transpired last night. Vanity and Zanzi had spent a night together in their new room, while Max enjoyed having this sister out of his room. The Zanzi's had been fighting over who should have what room. Visage and Vixen stuck together in the room they'd shared since arriving, while Saskia and Kat enjoyed the space created by Sphinx moving into one of the bedrooms inside Belladonna's flat. Glitter too enjoyed leaving the twins behind to share a room with Diva, who had once been the only member of the tribe other than Belladonna to have her own bedroom. James took advantage of having a room to himself, having Belladonna spend the night.

It was the weekend so the club and casino had been closed last night and were again tonight, giving everyone time to think about what Ebony had told them. Belladonna was going to be the one thing that would throw most of the tribe. While they hated the way she acted, they cared for her. She'd been there for everyone at some point, she welcomed everyone into the club, they couldn't stay mad at her forever. But could Belladonna hold a grudge against Ebony forever? Or could she indeed believe anything Ebony was saying now? All of these thoughts were whirling through Belladonna's head as she pulled her clothes on.

James opened his eyes and last nights events came flooding back to him, he saw Belladonna there, sat on the edge of the bed, this was enough to tell him that it wasn't a dream, he leant over and wrapped his arms round her waist, "Morning babe."

Belladonna smiled and lifted his arms off her, she quickly straightened her face before she turned round to look at him, "Morning."

James sat up and planted a kiss on Belladonna's lips, she pulled away as he did so, "Something wrong?"

"No, I just, erm." Belladonna fumbled as she pulled her boots on. What was wrong with her? She had someone in front of her who cared for her, she knew now that he did. He didn't want her to leave but she felt like she had no choice.

James looked at the bag of Belladonna's things on Zanzi's old bed, "You're leaving still aren't you?"

Belladonna shook her head, "I don't know, I can't stay here while we're helping Ebony, its just not something I want to get involved in again. Stuff like this is what cost me my parents."

"Then don't stay for that, stay for me."

"I…" Belladonna stood up and looked into James' eyes, right there in front of her was what she needed, someone, someone who wanted her, something she'd never had since the virus, and something she couldn't bring herself to have.

"You make yourself an outcast Belladonna, for two years you've never let anyone in and the one time you've come close you're running away! Stay here, be a member of this tribe like you should be, but don't run away. You think there's other people that aren't happy about going against the Mall Rats? They freed me from The Chosen, remember when me and Poison Ivy were caught? The Mall Rats sprung me, and almost got Poison Ivy free too until The Chosen wasted her. I can't believe they'd deny us what Ebony's giving us – a better life."

"Then don't believe it James, because they wouldn't!"

"It does seem weird that Bray let Ebony stand though, everyone knows what's gone on between them two, Ebony's a strong powerful leader, she'll unite this city, we can see it happening already. Kids from warring tribes coming here and having a good time with each other, money, law and order. It's all happening and they want to deny us it!"

"Don't believe everything she's saying James."

"I don't need to, I can see it Belladonna! Look outside the window now, there's kids out there cleaning the streets, making this place a city again, a society."

"At what cost? The cost of Bray and the others?"

"She's with them still Belladonna, Bray's the chief justice! What more can you expect?"

"Then whys she planning against them?"

"She's showing them the city supports her and not them, that we want what Ebony's offering. You remember Bray and Danni and that stupid Bill of Rights? Look what happened there, The Chosen got me and Poison Ivy and they would have gotten Zanzi and Vanity too."

Belladonna laughed, "That's not the Mall Rats fault! How could they have known?"

"They had their chance then Belladonna, they ignored the Chosen threat, they let one of them infiltrate them for heavens sake!"

"So that means we go against them?"

"That means we go with Ebony and have a new chance to have a nice place to live. She's leaving us alone as soon as she knows we're all on her side, when Zanzi goes to see her later she needs to know whether you're with us or against us."

Belladonna slunk back down onto the bed, "Then I guess I'll have to be with you." She kissed James and then stood back up off the bed.

"Where are you going?"

"Well if I'm staying here with you, I'm not staying in this room, pack your stuff, its time you saw my bedroom."

"Zanzi, Vanity, please come in, sit down."

Vanity raised an eyebrow at Zanzi as the two of them sat down on the sofa, "What's this about Ebony?"

Ebony poured herself a glass of water as she sat down at her desk, "I'm sure you've all heard about the Guardian being arrested?"

Zanzi nodded, "And that he's still alive."

"Yes, that would be the Mall Rats little doing, they won't have him sent here just yet, apparently he's safer at the mall 'til he stands trial and while he's there he's causing trouble for me."

Zanzi picked up the glass she'd pushed over to him, "What kind of trouble?"

"The kind that would mean them putting me on trial, under these new laws Bray wants to implement. He wants me gone and he thinks if he does this he can take over, so that him and Amber can rule side by side over the city and take away everything I've given you, which is why I need to know you guys are one hundred per cent behind me, you're the last link."

"Then I guess I'll answer that," Belladonna pushed open the door to Ebony's office, she stepped in holding James' hand, displaying a Z on her cheek, a true member of the Zanzi's, "We're with you."

Ebony smirked, "No hard feelings?"

"For now, no, but this is far from over Ebony. I'm going with my tribe."

Zanzi smiled as Belladonna and James took a seat, "So what do you need us for?"

"When the time comes your support against the Mall Rats, the only reason they're so respected is because they had the antidote to the virus, if they never had that they'd be nothing. I've got plans, the Guardian is finished with tomorrow, along with Bray and Amber. Gather your tribe and be outside the Mall if you want to see what will happen."

Ebony watched as the four of them picked up their coats and left her office closing the door behind them. They exited the hotel in silence and made sure they were out of hearing range of any guards before they began to discuss what Ebony had just suggested.

"We go along with her?" Zanzi looked along the line that they were now walking in.

"You know what I think Zanzi, she's not to be trusted."

Vanity hit Belladonna's arm, "And you are?"

James stepped in between the two girls before a fight broke out, "If she's getting rid of the Guardian, I'm all for her, its about time that creep got what's coming to him!"

"But getting rid of Bray and Amber?" Belladonna shook her head, "Isn't that a bit much?"

Zanzi smiled and nodded at two members of the Gull tribe as they walked past, "But look what Ebony's achieved, peace in the city, look at the place, clean, tidy, we can walk sector to sector safely, we can interact with other tribe members safely without fear of being lynched. She's organising a gathering of the tribe leaders, a council to hear us all out and make sure the city is being run in the right way."

"Then I guess we're off to the mall if you think all of this is so good to protect."

"I never thought I'd see the day you went along with this idea Belladonna."

"I don't want to go along with it Zanzi but there's no other choice, either we're with the city or we're against it, come tomorrow we do whatever they do."

The four returned to the club in silence, Vanity and Zanzi holding hands and James walking with his arm round Belladonna. All around them was everything they wanted to save, peaceful streets, people being helped when they needed it. Law and order, safety, friendships. And they knew who they had to thank for all of this – The Mall Rats, so why would they deny them it now? Maybe they weren't, maybe that was just Ebony manipulating the city into thinking that for her own means, Belladonna knew what she was capable of all too well – so why was she going along with it now?


	7. Chapter 7

Part 1

**Part 7**

"That's twelve ems please Zanzi."

Zanzi smiled and handed the supplier a bag of ems, "There's a tip in there too, just to say thanks for getting us all this so quickly."

"No problem, same time next week?"

"If you can get all this again, I wouldn't be surprised if the alcohol supplies will be running out soon the way the city's been drinking."

The supplier laughed and turned to leave the club, "See you next week." The metal door slammed behind him as Zanzi picked up the crates that had been dropped off and carried them over to the bar. He dropped them off with James and Max and headed off towards the casino with a clip board.

Belladonna was sat at one of the tables at the back of the casino, they had once been used to play blackjack on but since they reopened the place they'd become somewhere for the customers to wait while for a free slot machine.

Zanzi took a seat next to his friend, he smiled at her as he pulled the chair back under the table, "You ok?"

Belladonna looked up, "Yeah I suppose."

"Something on your mind?"

Belladonna ran her hands over the table, she could picture her uncle stood behind it dealing cards to all the punters while she watched from the balcony above, "Nope, just thinking, about stuff before you know. All this business with Ebony is bringing it all back."

Zanzi looked down at the table as well, "I know what you mean, I thought we were past all the stuff like this, having a leader was supposed to make the city a safer place to live, and its going right back to the old ways." Zanzi stopped as he noticed what it was Belladonna was running her hands over, "How come we never set up these tables for blackjack again?"

Belladonna shrugged, "Not enough of us to focus on this place, the club always seemed more important."

Zanzi placed his hand over Belladonna's, "Then after all this business with the Mall Rats is taken care of we'll sort out this place, get enough people in to run the casino as well. Expand our tribe."

"It doesn't really matter about tribes anymore does it? Its not like we hold any power anymore, all the leaders are is a consultation for Ebony to do whatever she wants, and none of us dare disagree with her."

"That'll change Belladonna, but anything's better than the old days – you remember those don't you?"

"How could I forget?"

FLASHBACK

Sirens sounded outside, screams from kids being picked up from the Locusts, Belladonna didn't care, she was safe here. Safety, something she'd taken for granted for so long before, but now, now it was the biggest luxury anyone could have hoped for.

She looked around the flat, this place that had been her home for so long now felt like an empty place, somewhere she didn't belong yet she knew she did. Everything in here was how she'd remembered it before she was evacuated, except for the layers of dust covering everything. She'd lived here with her grandmother since her parents were put in prison, but she was one of the first people to be evacuated, she never got to see her grandmother before the virus took her, or her parents for that matter. That was something Belladonna clung to, when she was evacuated she'd spent her time with kids who had to watch their parents slowly die, at least the last memories she had of her grandmother were happy ones.

She walked to a door and ran her hand over the sign on it, "Belladonna's room." Tears filled her eyes as she pushed the door open and saw her room as she'd left it, drawers turned out over the floor as she had frantically rushed through them to find what she needed to be evacuated, nothing much, the contents of the back pack that she now placed on the bed in front of her. For now this place was her home, again. Home. That word seemed funny as she repeated it in her head, she never thought she'd end up like this, alone, back at the place she'd hated for so long. Everything was so different now.

Belladonna looked at herself in the mirror and laughed at the state she'd made herself. Her red hair spouted out of two holes in the sides of the old motorcycle helmet she wore. Through the opening of this she could see the black make up covering her eyes. She pulled the helmet off her head and chucked it outside the room, removing the ties from her hair she picked up a brush and began restoring her hair to its former glory. She removed the leather outfit she was wearing and picked up something more appropriate from her wardrobe, black jeans, boots, a red strapless top and a long grey leather coat. She looked in the mirror again and admired herself, she picked up an eyeliner from the dresser in front of her and drew two diagonal lines over her left eye. She was not a Locust anymore, she was herself again.

Zanzi pushed open the heavy metal door into the club and quickly closed it behind him, he collapsed behind it, gasping for air. The sirens faded now as the Locusts passed, he was safe for now. He gathered up his things and began looking round the place he'd stumbled into. It appeared to be an old abandoned club, there were a few upturned tables and chairs in the corners and a bar full of alcohol. Light shone in through two huge skylights in the ceiling, casting shadows all around the club. He'd rest here for the night. He walked over to the bar and began admiring the drinks, he pulled out a can of beans from his bag and sat down on one of the stools.

"And who are you?"

Zanzi jumped up and backed towards the bar as a woman advanced towards him yielding a large plank of wood, he placed his hands up in the air as a sign of peace, "I'm Zanzi, its ok I mean you no harm."

"And the Locusts? They were following you?"

"Yes, but I've got rid of them, they're gone, its ok."

Belladonna darted towards the club door and opened one of the shutters on it to look outside, the street was empty. She placed the plank of wood next to the door and walked back to the stranger, she held out her hand, "I'm Belladonna, you mind?" She picked up the tin of beans and began eating from it, "Its been so long since I had a proper meal."

"You're not with a tribe then?"

Belladonna stopped eating and shook her head, "No, not any… no, you?"

"No, ever since the virus I've been on my own, running from place to place, searching for food, friends."

"Me too."

Zanzi pulled another stool out from the bar for Belladonna to sit on, "Then I guess we found it." He smiled as he pulled another tin out of his bag, he opened it and began eating. For now he'd found somewhere, maybe even a home.

PRESENT TIME

"Its no where near as bad as that now Belladonna, remember how scared we used to get when we heard the slightest noise outside the club?"

FLASHBACK

Zanzi pulled an arm round Belladonna and pushed her behind him, "Stay there." He picked up the plank of wood Belladonna had left lying by the door and backed behind the metal door. It swung open and he saw a figure step inside, "Hold it right there."

Max swung round and pushed Vanity behind him, he dropped his bag and held his hands out as he backed him and his sister away from the two people he saw in front of him, "Woah its ok, we're just looking for a place to stay."

Zanzi poked his head out on the street to check the place was clear and then pushed it shut again. He chucked the wood away and looked the two people in front of him up and down, "I'm Zanzi, this is Belladonna."

Max smiled, "I'm Max, and this is my sister Vanity." Vanity stepped out from behind her brother, she met Zanzi's eyes in a stare, one that seemed to last forever.

PRESENT TIME

Belladonna laughed, "What about when Vixen and Visage stumbled into here? Max nearly had a fit."

Zanzi laughed as he thought back, "Or when Saskia and Glitter thought Sphinx and Poison Ivy were Demon Dogs and they locked them in the cellar until we all got back with James?"

Belladonna fell silent.

"What's wrong now?"

Belladonna shook her head, "Old times, Poison Ivy, I'd almost forgotten."

Zanzi wrapped an arm round Belladonna, "She'll be back, she's a Zanzi isn't she? We stick together."

Belladonna smiled, "Through thick and thin."

"Not interrupting anything am I?"

Zanzi and Belladonna jumped as James walked towards them both.

"No, we were just reminiscing." Belladonna stood up and kissed James on the cheek.

"Ebony's men are outside, everyone's heading off towards the Mall now, its time."

Zanzi nodded, "I'll get Vanity and we'll be off over there. Max and the girls can watch this place." He stood up and headed up the stairs to the flat above the casino.

"Sure about this babe?"

Belladonna shook her head, "Do I have a choice?"


	8. Chapter 8

Part 1

**Part 8**

"I can't believe she banished them from the city! What right has she got?" Belladonna fumed as she flung her coat down on the bar.

"She's the city leader, she can do what she wants." Vanity sunk into one of the bar stools.

Zanzi shook his head, "But Amber, she was pregnant, what place is it out of the city for her to have a baby?"

James wrapped his arm round Belladonna again, "Who knows, but she knew the eco tribe didn't she? They'll be safe with them."

Belladonna shrugged him off, "But did you see the way she had the crowd heckling at them? She's got this city under her thumb and no-one can take her down now."

"But it's the council of leaders tomorrow now, she'll know she hasn't gotten away with it then."

Vanity looked round the club and up at the ceiling, "You hear that?"

Zanzi looked at her, "Hear what?"

Kat came running down the stairs, "Guys, guys, guys! You have got to come up here now and look at this! There's a plane! A plane in the sky!"

The four of them looked at each other and then darted upstairs into one of the old offices, they crowded round the window watching as a plane flew overhead and released people in parachutes.

"But how?" Sphinx shook her head.

"Its not possible!?"

Max looked at his sister, "Isn't it?"

Zanzi turned round and looked at the tribe, "The adults?"

Belladonna laughed, "Don't be so stupid, they're dead."

Vixen raised an eyebrow, "Are they? Some of them could have survived, somewhere."

"Then we've got to get out there! See them, see what's going on!" Vixen turned towards the door.

"Hold it right there Vixen!" Zanzi looked around at everyone, "If this really is the adults back, then all of this, us living here, our own world without their rules, all of it, its over, think about what that means, should we really be welcoming them back with open arms?"

"What else are we going to do? Sit here and wait until they come and save us from our lives?" Saskia shook her head, "We've got to go welcome them."

Zanzi thought for a minute, "Ok, Vixen, Saskia, Kat, since you three are so excited you guys go and meet them, I'm going to head off back to the hotel, Ebony will want all the tribe leaders there if it really is the adults, we need to show them what we've achieved without them."

Kat paused as she reached the door of the office, "Where are we going to go meet them though?"

Belladonna rolled her eyes, "It's a plane Kat, what do planes need to do in order for people to get out of it?"

"Land?"

Belladonna nodded sarcastically, "And where's the only place that thing can land?"

Kat smiled, "The old air strip at the edge of the city! Come on girls, they're back!" Kat, Vixen and Saskia darted off out of the office, the tribe heard the door into the club slam behind them as they left.

"Max, Visage, James, Sphinx, Glitter, Vanity and Diva you guys secure this place. Don't let anyone in, not even any adults, no matter what they promise you."

"What about you guys?" Vanity looked at Zanzi and Belladonna.

"We'll be fine." Belladonna assured her friend.

"You better be." James planted a kiss on Belladonnas forehead as her and Zanzi left the office.

"Ok, girls gather up all the food and stuff from downstairs and put it in the kitchen up here. James, help me move all the tables and chairs downstairs to block the doors and windows. We'll leave the door into the cellar free for everyone to get back in from the outside, we can keep a watch on whose in the courtyard from the flat up here."

Belladonna and Zanzi walked down the streets in the opposite direction to where the crowds were rushing.

"The adults!"

"They're back!"

"We're saved!"

Belladonna laughed at the state of the kids on the streets, "You think it's the adults Zanzi?"

Zanzi shrugged, "Far be it from me to disagree with the crowd but I'm going to remain sceptical about all this. There's just something about the timing of all this that seems too perfect too."

Belladonna raised an eyebrow, "You think Ebony's got something to do with this?"

"It doesn't seem like an all too outrageous idea, think about it. She gets rid of the only two people who would ever be a competition to her title and then she gets the city panicked over a plane coming, thinking the adults are returning, why? Why now?"

"So she can control us?"

"Exactly. If this really was the adults why would they come back now? After all this time? And why here? The virus wiped out the entire adult population of the world, there's nothing that makes this city special, if it was the adults why come here? That would mean that the virus only wiped out the population of where we are and that they're coming back to bring order to our city, our home, but why now? After 2 years, why now?"

"They had to make sure the virus was gone?"

Zanzi laughed, "But how would they have survived it in the first place? We took the antidote, that's why we're here."

"Maybe they had it in the first place? We knew the antidote was out there always, the virus just spread too fast for it to be distributed, surely it stands to reason that some adults out there got the antidote?"

"Who knows then?" Zanzi rounded the corner where he saw Ebony looking up at the sky panicked, grabbing kids as they ran past her, Zanzi and Belladonna ran towards her. "Ebony what's going on?"

"You think I know?" Ebony put her hands on her head and looked around, trying to find an answer.

"Is it the adults?" Belladonna looked up to the sky as the plane circled around again.

"I don't kn…" Ebony was cut off by the sound of loud explosions coming from the city.

"The techno invasion has begun."

Zanzi, Belladonna and Ebony all looked at each other panicked.

"Invasion?"

Ebony shook her head, "You guys better get somewhere safe now."

Zanzi grabbed Ebony's arm as she turned to run away, "What about you?"

"If they're invading my city, they've got a fight on their hands." Ebony shrugged off Zanzi and ran inside the hotel.

"Feel the power of the Techno's!" Explosions sounded everywhere, kids were now running from every direction screaming.

"You hear that?"

Belladonna nodded, "Trucks, they've got transport."

"We better get back to the club, now!"

"What about Saskia, Kat and Vixen? They've gone to meet them out there!"

Zanzi shook his head, "We'll have to hope they're ok, if these guys really are invading we're not safe on the streets. They've got a plane, who knows what else they've got?" Belladonna nodded and the two of them ran off in the direction of the club.

"They're invading!" Vanity ducked as a truck drove past the door outside.

"Get back from there!" Max ran and pulled his sister away and closed the shutter on the door, stopping anyone from seeing in, "Are you crazy?"

"Zanzi's out there Max, he's out there!"

Max wrapped an arm round his panicked sister, "If I know Zanzi by now Vanity he'll get back here safely."

James came charging down the stairs from above the casino, "They're rounding up kids on the streets, loading them into the trucks! We're not safe here, we've got to get out of here!"

Vanity pushed her brother off her and wiped the tears out of her eyes, "But where to?"

"Anywhere, anywhere safe. Out of the city? We can't stay here, they'll get us too!"

"I'm not leaving here James, not until Zanzi's back I can't leave him!"

"Vanity Belladonna's out there too, but we're no good here, not if they get in here, we'll be rounded up too."

"Then we make damn sure they don't get in here, this is our home James and I'm not giving it up! Get the girls down in the cellar under the casino, there's no outside entrance into it, we'll be safe down there, we'll barricade ourselves in, they'll never find us."

"And what if they do huh Max? We're stuck down there and they've got us, no," James paused and turned to look at the back door out of the club, "I'm going now, and anyone that wants to come and get out of here safely is welcome!"

The rest of the tribe who had now gathered on the stairs looked at each other. Visage began descending the stairs to join the others downstairs, the rest of the girls followed, "We're not leaving this place, Vixen's out there too, we have to be here when they get back, we stand more of a chance together!"

"I'm not waiting here for them to get us!" James headed off towards the door as a Techno stormed in.

"James, get back!" Max charged and pulled his friend out of the way.

"Who are you? What do you want here!?" Sphinx advanced towards the lone Techno.

Diva looked him up and down, "Are you adults? Have you come to help us?"

The Techno looked round at the group of virts that were advancing towards him and fired a shot from the zapper on his arm towards Diva, she landed on the floor.

"Get him!" Max charged and sent the Techno flying across the floor.

James punched him as he was down and pulled the mask off his face, "He's a kid! They're kids!"

The techno looked round at everyone crowded round him, "You'll be sorry!"

"Get that thing off his arm and tie him up!" Vanity turned and looked at Diva, "Is she alive Sphinx?"

Sphinx checked for a pulse and nodded, "Just."

"Take her upstairs then, James, Max scout the area outside, make sure its safe and if there's anymore of them out there make sure they're gone."

Max flung the Techno on the floor as James secured the ropes round his arms and legs and they both went out the back door to search the alley. Vanity crouched down next to the Techno with Vixen and Glitter and they searched his pockets.

"What's this?" Vanity admired a small white box with a T on it.

"It lets them know where I am." The Techno spat back at her.

Glitter twirled it in her fingers, "Oh really?" She put it down on the dance floor and stood on it, shattering the case and breaking the insides, "Not anymore."

Vixen stood up next to Glitter, "What's your name?"

The Techno tried to turn to look up at Vixen but Vanity was holding his head down, "Net."

"What are you doing here?" Vanity pushed his head round with her other foot.

"Cleansing the city of you virts!"

"Oh really." Vanity laughed, "Nice job you've done here too! What did you shoot Diva with?"

"A zapper, she'll live, for now. You'll be sorry when we take control!"

"Doubt you'll get very far!"

"Zanzi!" Vanity jumped up and ran to hug Zanzi.

"Its ok, we're safe." Belladonna walked in holding James' hand and smiled at the others.

Zanzi walked round the Techno on the floor, "Who's he?"

"He's one of them, says his names Net." Vanity joined Zanzi and put her arms round him again.

Glitter looked at Belladonna, "What's going on out there?"

Belladonna shook her head, "Panic, turmoil. They're invading and taking prisoners away in trucks, we just narrowly managed to get back."

Visage shook her head, "We get rid of one threat and another one comes along."

"But this time we're not going to let them defeat us. We're going to fight back."

The tribe gathered together round their new prisoner. Explosions still roared from outside the club, trucks drove past rounding up city kids, but the Zanzi's didn't care, they had each other and their fighting spirit. They weren't going to be defeated.


	9. Chapter 9

Part 1

**Part 9**

Zanzi walked in the kitchen and smiled at Visage, "Have you taken the prisoner his food?"

"I was just making it now, this is rich, they invade and cut off our supply lines and we have to feed one of them here." Visage shook her head as she stirred the pot in front of her.

"I know its hard, but you saw what happened when we tried to fight back, we're working with the Techno's now, they'll give us back food when we start co-operating."

"Doesn't that mean we need to give them back Net?"

Zanzi shook his head, "Not yet, he's our bargaining tool, rumours are going round that the Techno's rounded up everyone at the air strip, that means Vixen, Kat and Saskia have all been captured and I'm not prepared to leave them there. Ebony said there's a general coming round here later, we show him the prisoner and tell him that we want our friends back in return for him."

"You think they'll agree to it?"

"I hope so." Zanzi searched through the cupboards for something to make for breakfast, "We're running low on supplies aren't we?"

"Not just for here, the bars almost empty, and with no money coming in we can't get any more stock in and without stock we can't open and if we don't open we can't get money – it's a whole vicious cycle!"

"If it makes you feel any better I don't think we're going to need money anymore."

"What?" Visage stopped stirring and turned round to look at Zanzi.

"That meeting with the tribal leaders and Ebony, we discussed more than attacking the Techno's, everything she tried to implement is falling apart. Em's have no value anymore, and everyone wants her out."

Visage smiled, "I'm sure Belladonna was pleased with that."

Zanzi laughed, "Well she wasn't exactly against it but surprisingly she wasn't signing Ebony's farewell card either."

Visage pulled a bowl out of the cupboard and poured the soup from the pan into it, "Better take this to Net. What times the general coming?"

"Soon, I want us all to be there when we tell him."

"Ok." Visage left the kitchen through the door into the corridor above the club.

Zanzi sighed as he pulled out a tin of spaghetti and poured the contents into a pan.

"Yuck, spaghetti for breakfast?" Sphinx sat down at the kitchen table and rubbed her eyes.

"Just like the old days."

"Its about time those Techno's got some food into the city, I'm sick of living out of tins again."

"Zanzi!"

Zanzi and Sphinx jumped at Vanity's shout and walked to the balcony overlooking the casino.

"Dos and Shift are here, the Techno generals." Vanity walked back into the casino and towards the bar.

"Would either of you like a drink?"

Shift looked at Dos and then back at Vanity, "I don't drink dirty virt drinks." Shift sat down on one of the bar stools and moved her hair back behind her ear piece.

Vanity looked at the two of them, they both had the Techno uniform on, topped off with tops with red zips down the middle. Dos had short brown shaven hair with two red markings on either side of his face, showing his status. Shift had longer, flowing brown hair with one marking on either side of her face, Vanity knew she was under Dos' command, she turned to face him, "How about you?"

Dos shook his head, "I want your leader, we're very busy."

"It's a good job I'm here then isn't it." Zanzi walked over to the bar and shook Dos' hand, "I'm Zanzi."

Dos looked him up and down, "Dos, this is Shift."

Zanzi nodded at the female, "You're here to discuss food rations?"

Dos stood up from the bar, "You will receive rations along with the rest of the city, until then you are to fend for yourselves. We are here to help you all here, not become your enemies. You will re-open this place for business like you did before our invasion."

Zanzi laughed, "How do you expect me to do that when you have three members of my tribe?"

The rest of the tribe appeared as Zanzi spoke, everyone stood united behind him.

"The city has had many losses, I have no time for this."

"Then make time for this!" James and Max dragged Net along and stood him up in front of Dos and Shift.

Shift laughed, "And what's this supposed to do?"

"Saskia, Vixen and Kat, give us them back and then you'll get him."

Shift smiled, "You think we care about him? He's nothing to the Techno's!" She readied her zapper and fired a shot at Net sending him falling to the floor.

Dos laughed, "Proof enough?"

The girls screamed as they say Net's body lying on the ground.

"We will be working closely with you, under orders from Ram. Don't piss us off."

Shift kicked the body in front of her to turn it over, "Fool, letting himself get caught by these dirty virts."

Zanzi shook his head in disbelief, "So we're never getting them back?"

"The status of our prisoners is none of your concern."

"And Glitter, Diva? They just disappeared without a trace from here! Are you to blame for that?"

Shift tapped her headset, "Base control, come in base control, status of two virts called Glitter and Diva." Shift nodded at Dos and they turned away from the Zanzi's, she whispered in his ear, "Deleted." She turned back round and smiled at the tribe, "They were arrested for causing trouble with two of our generals. They shall be returned to you after they have been punished."

"We will be back tonight, we expect this place to be up and running." Dos and Shift turned and left the club, slamming the door behind them.

Visage shook her head, "They've done it now haven't they? Broken us up?"

"No they haven't, they'll never break us up, we just need some more help that's all." Zanzi turned to Belladonna, "Why do you think they want this place up and running again?"

Belladonna shrugged, "Who knows, but we got rid of Ebony and now we've got the Techno's sniffing round here, its not something I want to buy into thanks."

Vanity rolled her eyes, "Wake up Belladonna, its not something we can go against. We're a part of their plans somewhere down the line, if we weren't they'd have taken us away earlier."

"So what do we do about him?" Sphinx crouched down by the body in the middle of the dance floor and looked at the burn marks on his chest.

"There'll be a patrol by later, I'll move him outside, they'll take him away." Max crouched down and grabbed the body by the arms and pulled it towards the door.

Zanzi broke the silence that had fallen on the club, "You heard those two, we need this place open up again, Vanity, Max you guys run the bar tonight, Belladonna, Visage you two sort out the casino, James you get on the door, no entry fee tonight and we're trading for drinks. Get food, water, batteries, the old stuff that we used to need before."

"You shouldn't have done that Shift, Ram won't be happy."

Shift laughed, "Ram won't even miss him, why would he?"

Dos stopped Shift as she walked off, "I mean it Shift, you better watch it, Jay's already gotten word of the way you've been since we got here, if he says anything to Ram, you'll be deleted."

Shift smirked, "Worried Dos? That's not like you."

"I care about you ok, you know that, we've been together a long time, ever since Ram first recruited us, I don't want to lose you because of the way your acting."

Shift laughed, "That was all a little show Dos, you see that girl, that one with the blonde hair?" Dos nodded, "Vanity they call her, dirty virt. Well she used to live down my street, horrible girl she was, always shutting me out of everything, well look who's on top now, me and not her."

"That's what this is? Some twisted form of revenge? Showing her who's boss?"

Shift laughed, "Chill."

Dos grabbed Shift's arm as she tried to walk away again and pulled her down one of the alleys, "We went through training for this Shift, hours and hours of intensive training, separating yourself from the job, from your old life. If Ram finds out its not worked you'll be for it."

"If Ram finds out about me then he's bound to find out about you too."

Dos looked confused, "What do you mean?"

Shift smiled and leant in and kissed him, "You've been wanting to do that since before the virus Matt, haven't you?"

Dos paused for a minute before dragging Shift in for another kiss, "Does that mean I get to call you Becky?"

Shift laughed, "What if Ram finds out Dos? We're just two generals who happened to have found each other, nothing more." Shift left the alley, perfectly aware that Dos was watching her closely as she swayed her hips, "Now, now Matt, professionalism."

"Whatever you say Shift."


End file.
